Window regulator



w. J, HALL July' 23, 1938.

WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Oct. 12, 1936 INVENTOR. 144222477? J7 fin]! BY W ATTORNEY6.

Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW REGULATOR corporation of Illinois Application October 12, 1936, Serial No. 105,254

1 Claim.

This invention relates to window regulators and in particular relates to window regulators for passenger trailer windows.

An object of the present invention is to provide 5 an improved window regulator which is adapted to take up a minimum of space when the window is closed or open.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved window regulator formed of elements so constructed and arranged relative to each other that when the elements are in one position a rigid regulator of one length is obtained while when the elements are in another position they may be pivoted relative to each other so that a regulator of less length is obtained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved regulator which co-operates with a member mounted on a window frame structure tosecure the window in closed position or co-operates with a portion of the frame structure to hold the window in one of several open positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved window regulator which is simple and 3 economical to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawing relating thereto, and from the claim hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a vehicle and trailer embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

For the purpose of illustration an embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawing in which in Fig. 1 an automobile I0 is partially illustrated having connected thereto a trailer I2. The trailer body is formed having outer panels M and inner panels i6 spaced therefrom with openings l8 therethrough providing window openings. The panels M and it are connected adjacent the Window opening by vertical side members 29 and horizontal members 2!, each having one edge thereof flush with the edges of the opening it to form with the panels It and It the window openings.

The window openings l8 are preferably substantially rectangular in shape and a frame structure generally indicated at 22 is given a complementary shape and fits snugly within the window opening. The frame structure 22 comprises side elements 24 and 26, top elements 28 and bottom elements 30, the elements being joined together at their ends to form the frame outline.

The side elements 26 and 26 are substantially identical to each other and a detailed description of one will suffice for both. The element 26 preferably is formed from a single sheet metal memher having a substantially straight body portion 32 which is bent outwardly adjacent its outer edge to form a curved flange 34, the outer edge of which abuts against the outer face of panel l4 when the frame is in position within its opening. The

remaining portion of the sheet metal member is bent inwardly substantially normal to the straight portion 32 to form an inwardly directed flange portion 36 which extends in a direction opposite to that of the flanged portion 3 3. The flange portion 36 is bent to form oppositely facing channels 1- 38 and 4B, the channel 38 opening outwardly and the channel ill opening inwardly. For a simplified construction the channels 38 and 40 have one common wall t? and the walls of each of the channels converge towards the channel opening for a purpose to be described hereinafter. An opening 4! is provided in the flange portion 36 adjacent its inner edge substantially midway of the length of the flange 3'6 and provides an opening through which the window regulator extends in a manner to be described more in detail hereinafter.

The elements 28 and 30 are substantially the same in structure to the elements 2% and 26 except that in the elements 28 and 29 the opening 4| is omitted. The ends of each of the frame elements are formed with an angle of 45 so that each of the elements may be joined at right angles with its. adjacent element, providing a frame outline having a central opening therethrough. A screen Mi is stretched over the frame structure covering the opening, the edges of the screen extending over the flanges 36 and into the channels ill. An opening is provided in the screen d4 over the opening 4! so as not to ob r struct this opening.

The edge of the screen is retained within the channel it by means of a compressible elongated member 46 which is preferably paper cord, rawhide or the like. The compressible element 46 is pressed downwardly into the channel 40 along the length thereof with the edge of the screen between the inner faces of the channel and the member 46. When the member 46 is pressed into place within the channel 40 the converging sides of the channel will prevent its accidental displacement from the channel and thereby retain the screen in place.

The inner edges of the window openings l8 are preferably given a finished appearance by covering the inside corners of the openings with metal members 48.

A window 50 is pivotally mounted preferably along its top edge within the window openings 93 on the outside of the screen 44. The window 58 includes a transparent portion 52 mounted within a substantially channel shaped frame member 54, provided with wooden blocks 56 extending along the base of the channel member 54. To reduce the shock on the transparent portion 52 and to provide an effective seal a resilient I'elt member 58 is interposed between the edge portions of the transparent pane 52 which extends within the channel member 54 and the channel member.

In order to pivotally mount the window a hinge 60 similar in construction to the hinge disclosed in the patent to William H. Hall, No. 1,987,775 of January 15, 1935, is provided preferably along the top edge of the window. The hinge 69 comprises a female portion 62 having an outwardly directed flange portion 64 which is complementary in shape to the flange portion 34 on the frame structure 25 and is suitably secured thereto by spot welding or any other suitable manner. A male member 66 fits within the female member 62 and is curved complementary in shape to the interior curvature of the female member 62. The male member 66 is provided with a downwardly extending flange 68 which is suitably secured as by spot welding or the like to the top channel member 54 of the window structure. Axial movement of the hinge members relative to each other is prevented in a manner described in the above referred to patent.

In order to provide an effective seal for the window 58 a sealing strip Ill, preferably of a resilient rubber material is mounted within the channel 38 along its length having a portion extending beyond the opening of the channel. The rubber member '10 is securely held in place in the channel 38 by the converging sides of the channel.

In order to provide a regulator for the window 56 which will either securely hold the window in closed position against the resilient sealing member ill or will support the window in open position, a window regulator is provided which is preferably mounted to the upstanding sides of the window and extends through the frame element 26 into the interior of the vehicle so that it may be conveniently operated from the passenger compartment. The regulators are substantially identical to each other and a description of one will sufiice for both.

The window regulator comprises an intermediate section 72 which is preferably formed from a single sheet metal member in the form of a substantially flat transversely elongated tube having substantially fiat sides 72 and being open at its end. A substantially fiat elongated member 76 having a transverse sectional shape substantially the same as the interior of the tubular section 12 provides a rigid extension of the tubular section 72. The inner end of the member 16 extends into one end of the tubular section 12 contacting the side walls thereof and is rigidly secured thereto by means of rivets T8 or the like. The member 16 is provided with an opening therethrough adjacent its outer end for pivotal attachment to bracket members 80.

The bracket members 80 are suitably secured to the inner face of the channels 54 by means of the flanges 82 and are spaced from each other. The member 76 is positioned therebetween and pivotally secured relative to the bracket members by means of a pin 84 which extends through the opening in the member 16. When the window is in closed position the bracket members Bil extend through the opening 4| in the frame element 26 and when the window is opened the regulator is moved through the opening.

The tubular member 12 has a portion of its under side cut away as at 86 to provide an opening in the underside adjacent the inner or lower end of the tubular section for a purpose to be described.

Another substantially flat elongated member 88 is mounted in the lower or inner end of the tubular section 12 and has a transverse sectional shape substantially complementary to that of the interior of the tubular section. The member 88 is provided with an elongated longitudinally extending opening 90 adjacent the end which extends into the lower or inner end of the tubular section 12 and is mounted relative thereto by means of a pin 92. The pin 92 extends through the side wall 14 of the tubular element and through the opening 90 in the member 88 to secure the member 88 relative to the tubular section and permit relative pivotal movement between the members.

Notches 94 and 96 are provided in the members l6 and 88, respectively, and these notches are adapted to cooperate with the lower edge of the opening 4| to hold the window open as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The opening 4| is preferably reinforced at that portion contacting the notches 96 with a member 98 complementary in shape to the notches 94 and 96 so that the window is firmly held in its open position.

The provision of the cutaway portion 86 in the tubular section 72 and the elongated opening 90 in the member 88 form important features of the present invention, as it can be seen from an inspection of Fig. 2 that by this structure the member 88 may be either positioned to form a rigid extension of the tubular section 12 or may be pivoted relative thereto so as to reduce the extent to which the regulator would extend into the passenger compartment. When the pin 92 contacts the outermost part of the opening 90 the member 88 may be pivoted relative tothe tubular section 12 and will extend to within the cutaway portion 86 when pivoted as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 2. By moving the element 88 along its opening Bil in line with the tubular section 72, the outer end of the member 88 engages the inner walls of the tubular section 12 and in this position the member 88 provides a rigid extension of the tubular section.

From the above it can be seen that the window may be opened to one position by engaging the slot 94 with the member 93 and in this position the member 38 is pivoted relative to the tubular section as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The member 88 may be positioned as described above to form a rigid extension of the tubular section and in this position the notch 96 may be placed in engagement with the member 90 to hold the window in its outermost position. From the above description is can be seen that a simplified structure is provided by which a window may be maintained in several open positions and a minimum of space is taken up by the regulator.

In order to securely hold the window in closed position a member I02 preferably in the form of a simple block is mounted on the flange 26 spaced a suitable distance below the lower edge of the opening 4| and is adapted to bear against the tubular element I2 when the Window is in closed position. To hold the window in closed position the member 88 is moved along the opening 90 to form a rigid extension of the tubular section and is provided with an opening I04 in the lowermost end thereof. The block I02 forms a fulcrum point about which the regulator as a lever may be turned, and by providing a pin I06, suitably secured for example to the members 48 in a position in alignment with the opening I04, the outer end of the pin I06 extends through the opening I04 to maintain the regulator element in bearing engagement against the member I02 to securely hold the window against the resilient element I in closed position.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A window regulator comprising a relatively fiat tubular section forming the intermediate portion of said regulator, a substantially flat member extending into one end of said tubular section engaging the inner walls thereof and forming a rigid extension thereof, means fixedly securing said member to said tubular section, another substantially fiat member extending into the other end of said tubular section, means forming a longitudinally extending opening in that end of said last named member which extends into said tubular section, means pivotally securing said last named member to said tubular section through said opening, said tubular section having a portion of one side removed at the end adjacent said last named member, the construction and arrangement being such that said last named member may be pivoted relative to said tubular member by movement into said removed portion and may be moved along said opening into engagement with the inner walls of said tubular section to form a rigid extension thereof, means pivotally engaging said first named member to said window, and means forming notches in said members.

WILLIAM J. HALL. 

